Change From The Inside Out

During the visual transformation I’m going through I’ve realized that I have some work to do inside as well to make my life more healthy. It’s not just about being physically healthy but also mentally as well.

It has taken a lot of mental work to get to where I am physically today. As I realized the other day taking my shirt off at the beach, I’ve got a ways to go in this area as well.

As I get physically healthier I’m realizing that it’s up to me to make me happy. I’m not saying that I’m not happy because I have a fantastic life, an amazing supportive family, a good job etc. However I’m still a person who relies on outside influences affect my happiness. For those who know me and know my resume I have a habit of getting a new job, staying there for a while and then leaving for something else. Maybe the job didn’t satisfy me in certain ways, maybe it wasn’t challenging enough, maybe I just got bored. Those aren’t the only reasons I’ve left jobs but all those things have come into the decision making. Really though is it up to my job to keep me engaged?

Of course it certainly helps if a job meets those needs, but really it is up to me. Now I’m not saying I’ll never leave a job again. If I ever get an amazing offer for a dream job I’ll obviously consider it. But I can be happy and engaged no matter what the job.

Yesterday I started reading a book I’ve been meaning to for a long time, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey. I’ve had it on my bookshelf for years and it’s been on my reading list for longer than that.

I’m only just getting into it but it’s already given me much to think about and work on. In the beginning it talks a lot about changing your perception and working on yourself. This relates to all aspects of life not just professional. The more I think about the more true it is. It goes back to something my mother used to say, I don’t recall the exact wording but something along the lines of, “If you go into it with a bad attitude you’ll have a bad experience, if you go into it with a good attitude, you’ll have a good experience.” In other words it’s up to you. A catch phrase at a previous job was “Choose Your Attitude” and although I don’t think it was lived by a lot of people there, it is still true.

So going forward I’m working on making a very conscious effort to work on myself and not rely on anything else to keep me happy.